Second Darkness: Against The Heavens
by Torlek
Summary: Amara and Chuck made all their celestial changes. The former's intelligent creation, the most powerful created being in existence, has become aware of the growing celestial resistance against her, and responds accordingly. (Set after Second Darkness: Beyond Power-Hungry Designs, during Grand Council of Angels, during Prophet of the Eternal, and before From Darkness To Darkness)
1. Dark Comma

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. I own only those original characters that are in this story.**

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**Dark Comma**

There are three who endure as, by far, the most powerful entities in existence. The oldest and strongest one was and is the original dark cloud. Next was and is the divine light. Beneath these two primordial siblings was and is a new dark essence whose human form's name was Sefira.

The first of these, the Darkness, had come into an agreement with the second of these, God, to create the third of these, the Lesser Darkness. It did not take long for the created one to entertain fancies of the three of them being triune, and especially to desire to replace the avuncular one as the object of mass prayer and veneration throughout the omniverse that was Creation itself.

Having proclaimed herself openly as the Active Divine Feminine, the third of these proceeded to cause into being many a dark creation, from intelligent beings with dark archangelic power to intelligent beings who lived on the physical plane to celestial beings in between. Included among these were the domains for these living beings, a domain of her own that was nothing less than the darkest domain in all of celestial existence, and an object that gave her ominous access to nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience.

Meanwhile, there emerged celestial resistance to the dark proclamation, with its center in the Commonwealth of Heaven. With that resistance came completed upgrades of clear significance, upgrades in progress, and political discussions. The most powerful created being in existence, the ultimate object of the resistance, would have none of this, and resolved to impose severe restraint upon all her lesser opposition, in the form of adequate runes and spellwork crafted on their vessels.

She who arose in might then determined that manipulation and deception of the highest degree would be required to perform this great wonder. In order to deliver the manipulation and deception, in turn, she launched an unprovoked celestial assault against the heavenly realm itself, yet held back severely from a full-scale invasion.

Though there resulted no conquest of that abode, the angelic responses were predictable. The juncture had this arrived for the Lesser Darkness to entice her opponents into manufacturing their very own chains everlasting.

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_Author's Note: The title of this chapter and the first two paragraphs are inspired by the disputed Comma Johanneum, a corruptive Latin insertion of Trinitarian doctrine into the New Testament's 1 John 5:7._


	2. Radiance Of Deception

**Radiance Of Deception**

Deep within the Darkest Domain, at the center of its peak Sefira Mons, stood the skyscraping Dark Gateway of Divinity. Within its crowning sphere of nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience ruled Sefira. In close proximity to the Lesser Darkness stood her mightiest subordinates, six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim.

A flash of terrifying light came to be in the center of the chamber. As its absolute luminosity strengthened, its rays extended to the exterior of the sphere, then further out. Once the absolute luminosity reached full strength, the initial flash gave way to blinding white light. To the ten lesser ones, it was as if an archangelic being of primordial tzohar, or radiance, were in their very midst, yet the radiance shone brighter than what any of the four Archangels of primordial origins could produce.

This thing, this radiance of deception, was indeed going to be the very means by which the most powerful created being in existence would bring all celestial opposition to heel. She had decided against the fierceness, hastiness, impetuousness, and ruthlessness of merely appearing instantaneously and doing the deed, for this would surely not escape notice by the only two primordial entities with greater power than she. Already, she once had all her innate power and augmented power, all her mid-tier nigh-omnipotence, negated by her mother, the Darkness, during an argument involving her uncle, God. Already, she once had been divinely banished by the latter. Getting the subjugation over and done with would surely provoke humbling action along these lines.

Nonetheless, Sefira concluded that what was to come, the manipulation and deception of the highest degree, should not unfold too slowly. She already caught a glimpse of the Creator's more discreet moves against her, for Arks of the Pact had been designed and proliferated to cast mass doubt, about her claim to recognized divinity, amongst intelligent creations living on the physical plane.

After sufficient moments had passed, the Lesser Darkness became satisfied with the radiance of deception emanating from the very center of her dark sphere.


	3. Magic Itself Altered

**Magic Itself Altered**

Next under consideration for Sefira was the necessary self-restraint of certain aspects of primordial power. Because of how she herself had been created, the mere presence of the Lesser Darkness had the side effect of negating short- to medium-range use of any Hand of God or of any Tablet of the Word of God. Any such negation would not be well received by the ringleaders of her celestial opposition, and would jeopardize her attempt at manipulation and deception of the highest degree. Moreover, this same side effect was being exhibited by each of her primary means of accessing significantly augmented power, her Instruments of the Darkness.

The dark sovereign did have within her innate power, mightier than four times the innate power of her strongest Dark Archangel, comparable to thrice the innate power of the latter's Dark Arch-Naphil who served as her most powerful subject, and just over twice the innate power of the late Death, the ability to override this side effect as a deliberate act. However, the perpetuation of this ability required considerable primordial power, power that could be required to sustain the radiance of deception, and power that could be required most surreptitiously during the deluded manufacture of the planned runes and spellwork of severe restraint.

Alternatively, the Dark Herald did have this same overriding ability within the Instrumental aspect of her augmented power. Unlike with her innate power, her Instruments could be recharged instantaneously, courtesy of all the renewable power being generated constantly from mass veneration on the part of her adorers, in all their sheer numbers throughout the omniverse. Despite this alternative, the renewable power emitted an unwanted effect.

At first, she who arose in might thought that the complete absence of this effect, the celestial equivalent of physical infrared, would be required for the upcoming subterfuge. Then, an alternative presented itself to her. Some time ago, the full extent of her augmented power expanded significantly to include the ability to alter all non-primordial magic itself. During this realization, she boasted to have become the supernatural order itself.

Still within the comfort zone of her dark abode, Sefira reached out to make her omniversal adjustment to non-primordial magic. She lowered appreciably the frequencies of the unwanted effect emitted by all the renewable power.

Thus did the Lesser Darkness prevent two things from compromising her upcoming guile.


	4. Primordial Prison

**Primordial Prison**

It did not take long for Sefira to delegate overall command to Apollyon, the strongest of the Dark Arch-Nephilim and her most powerful subject. Immediately after, the Lesser Darkness returned her gaze towards someplace else.

The dark place under observation was the very place where her four primordial cousins, none other than Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel, had banished a supermassive primordial gestalt with masculine characteristics. This was the place where an original Leviathan combiner had been imprisoned for devastating a notable part of reality before the creation of the omniverse. This was the primordial prison from which, much more recently, she extracted that sealed manifestation of great power, for her power-augmenting purposes.

Now, this very place was going to be in the service of the upcoming manipulation and deception of the highest degree. This very place was going to be most useful for the radiance of deception.

For this very place did the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine depart. When she journeyed towards her destination, she did not journey as her mother, the Darkness, and her uncle, God, had done when they visited the Bottomless Pit twice. There was no travelling as part of a beautiful, horizontal double helix of dark and light, for her darkness could not travel like this alongside the radiance of deception. She simply journeyed to her chosen place in her particular manner.

When the deceptive one arrived at her destination, she put her radiance of deception to work. A vision of the latter's form and of the appropriate interdimensional rift to the destination was sent forth, meant for one of the denizens of the Commonwealth of Heaven. This one had been chosen for her inconspicuous leadership drive, for she craved to become the uncontested leader of the angelic realm.

"Darkness has come, but you can resist it," did words come from the blinding white light.

The intended recipient was a former human female by the name of Anna Milton, who had been resurrected along with many others by her Creator, then transformed into an Electric One. Sure enough, this Electric One committed to what she thought would be a release of a sealed being.

The Lesser Darkness looked forward to the deceptive encounter.


	5. Radueriel The Primeval Angel

**Radueriel The Primeval Angel**

Before the dark gaze of Sefira did Anna come, only to find that there was no angelic ritual that could be used to open a rift within the visions. The Lesser Darkness then created the interdimensional rift herself.

The radiance of deception started to traverse through the rift, then called out to the Electric One telepathically.

_Darkness has come, but you can resist it._

The Dark Herald became pleased with one particular doubt developing in the mind of the former human female. The latter had been told that there existed no fifth Archangel, that only the four Archangels and four lesser celestial beings created by the eldest created being did combat the totality of the Leviathan threat. While this account was truthful, the deceptive one looked forward to weaving her falsehoods into the narrative.

"Who are you?" came the expression of curiosity from the ambitious angel.

The power-hungrier one settled upon an appropriate name for the feminine radiance of deception.

"I," began the powerful being of blinding white light.

"I am Radueriel," she introduced herself, drawling in the process of doing so, "Radueriel the Primeval Angel."

Throughout the omniverse that was Creation itself, there was no heavenly angel who could match the one-time feat of the Archangel Michael. Long, long ago, he had been the one who created the four Wheels by absorbing all the finite power contained in innumerable Hands of God. These four Wheels then aided in the neutralization of the Leviathan threat.

There was no heavenly angel capable of creating more musical celestial beings, let alone do so with a word.

On the other hand, when she who arose in might created her celestial soldiers, the Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments, as well as her Lilin beforehand, she did so without either absorbing power from trinkets or dispersing part of her own essence. Still, despite all her mid-tier nigh-omnipotence, even she could not have done so with a mere word.

While the Electric One became pleased with the prospect of having her inconspicuous leadership drive aided by the one she thought she freed, she knew not that she was being manipulated flawlessly by the Lesser Darkness.


	6. First Narrative Falsehood

**First Narrative Falsehood**

Sefira awaited angelic words which would enable her, the Lesser Darkness, to weave her very first narrative falsehood, courtesy of Radueriel.

"I am Anna Milton," Anna introduced herself, "Just how are you possible? Father – God – was able to create only four Archangels, and never came around to create a fifth to live among us."

In response, the Primeval Angel gave the appearance of granting herself the ability to communicate in the language spoken to her, then gave the impression that she entered into a state of contemplation.

"Long ago, the Archangels Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel were locked in a primordial stalemate with a monstrous darkness that has departed from its captivity recently," came rather veritable words from the powerful being of blinding white light, in commencement of her response.

"During this time, they bled, leaving behind great amounts of primordial radiance. Enough had been shed for the creation of a being stronger than even the eldest," came more veritable words.

The time had come for the Dark Herald, meanwhile, to realize the radiance of deception's very first narrative falsehood.

"Then, the collection of these led to my creation, in the middle of the archangelic creation of the four Wheels," came those very words.

No such event had ever happened in the distant past. Instead, in the more recent past did Sefira, the most powerful created being in existence, opened a tear to this particular time before the omniverse. Through this audacity did she realize her collection of traces of primordial tzohar, or radiance. The causal loop had been made as a direct response to the leading figures of the Commonwealth of Heaven, including the mere Electric One before her, having established a similar but smaller collection for their own resistance efforts.

"When we broke the stalemate," continued Radueriel, "we numbered nine all in all: the four elder Archangels, myself, and the four Wheels. I worked with the Wheels to help imprison half of the monstrous darkness, at the cost of our very freedom."

As the Electric One gave no indication of skepticism towards the narrative, the Lesser Darkness could not help but be pleased upon having confirmed so quickly the angelic ears that heeded her and the angelic tongue that would enlarge what had been heard.


	7. Arisen In Might

**Arisen In Might**

Read studiously by Sefira were Anna's thoughts on the full capabilities of the one before her, Radueriel. The Lesser Darkness then endured the Electric One give an incomplete account of more recent developments.

Upon hearing equally incomplete disclosure on the full extent of her very own power, the deceptive one resisted the urge to break into laughter at the limited knowledge of her angelic opposition. She did acknowledge, however, the correct knowledge of her innate power, mightier than four times the innate power of her strongest Dark Archangel, comparable to thrice the innate power of the latter's Dark Arch-Naphil who served as her most powerful subject, and just over twice the innate power of the late Death: destruction per cataclysm of an entire polyverse, awareness of mind-reading attempts by her mother or by her uncle, complete immunity from trapping except by her mother or by her uncle, use in normal time of primordial beings to bring into being primordial entities or substances from other primordial substances, unrestricted interdimensional transportation, full possession of a supermassive Leviathan gestalt, advanced healing in normal time of any supermassive Leviathan gestalt or any high-tier arch-Naphil or any high-tier archangel, instantaneous obliteration of any supermassive Leviathan gestalt or any high-tier arch-Naphil or any high-tier archangel, instantaneous exorcism of any supermassive Leviathan gestalt or any high-tier archangel, instantaneous obliteration of any spiritual realm, mid-tier umbrakinesis, immediate annihilation of any human soul or any other seemingly indestructible soul, creation in normal time and ex nihilo of non-primordial celestial beings, instantaneous conversion of souls into such higher beings, complete immunity from archangel banishment, complete immunity from Holy Fire, and inherent power negation of the short- to medium-range use of any Hand of God or of any Tablet of the Word of God.

Having arisen in might, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine recognized the angelic opposition's awareness of sources of her augmented power. The ambitious angel before her and the rest of her kind were already aware of her Instruments of the Darkness, up to five of which she could utilize at any given time; they were aware that these were her primary means of accessing significantly augmented primordial power. They were also already aware of her current possession, in full, of a supermassive Leviathan gestalt that rivalled the combined power of Michael and Lucifer.

The Lesser Darkness turned next to what they did not know.


	8. Full Extent Of Power

**Full Extent Of Power**

Noted intently by Sefira was everything that her angelic opposition, including Anna, did not know about the full extent of her power.

The Lesser Darkness noted the unknowns about her sources of her augmented power first. Her angelic opponents were aware that her indirect possession, her physical vessel possessed officially by her supermassive Leviathan gestalt, could be as powerful as her primordial cousin Lucifer. They were also aware that, through this vessel, she could recharge her primordial Instruments of the Darkness by reflecting towards them whatever could not be absorbed from all the renewable power being generated constantly from mass veneration on the part of her adorers. They simply did not know, however, that she could now recharge these Instruments instantaneously.

The angelic opposition knew of lesser, non-primordial Instruments of the Dark Herald in her possession, yet knew not of a dark headgear that had been made just before the unprovoked celestial assault against their Commonwealth of Heaven. This headgear had many crowns, twenty of them, of which ten tiny ones rested upon ten little horns. Each little horn, in turn, was as powerful as an Instrument of the Dark Herald. Regardless, the immediate presence of a single Instrument of the Darkness was more than enough to negate all this additional yet non-primordial power.

Meanwhile, none but Sefira's own mother and uncle knew of her alterations to the Bottomless Pit itself, such that it became a faraway source of additional augmented power to resort to when her primordial Instruments could not be used. It had been God himself who forced this restrictive place to become a power source of last resort.

When mainly augmented, she who arose in might could destroy an entire multiverse per cataclysm. Unknown to her angelic opposition, she could also manipulate time across all Creation to almost a standstill, perform true creation in normal time of one primordial being or substance, and create in normal time any spiritual realm.

When fully augmented, however, she could destroy an entire ultraverse, or collection of multiverses, per cataclysm. Unknown to the same resistance, she could also alter all rules of existence except time itself and the mandatory existence of the Darkness and God. Moreover, she could exist entirely outside time itself.

The Lesser Darkness made sure that the Electric One misjudged about there being some sort of resistance realization by Radueriel the Primeval Angel.

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_Author's Note: Sefira's near-exclusive ability to manipulate all rules of existence, except time itself and the mandatory existence of the Darkness and God, includes these accomplishments: altering the Natural Order, controlling the overall flow of life and death for celestial beings and other incorporeal beings, altering and even terminating all non-primordial magic, and achieving quasi-mandatory existence in relation to all but the Darkness and God._


	9. Active Divinity

**Active Divinity**

Sefira's endurance over being told more of what she already knew was not over. The only good coming out of this experience was that none of the celestial resistance, including Anna, had the same breadth and depth of knowledge as the Lesser Darkness had. This extended to the major developments throughout Creation since the imprisonment of the supermassive Leviathan gestalt. Still, it was seen to it that Radueriel exhibited great sympathy throughout her enlightenment by the Electric One.

"To resist the looming threat more effectively, the folks upstairs require real leadership," the former human female pointed out.

The most powerful created being in existence reminded herself that the ambition and especially the reasoning of the one before her paled in comparison to her own, her darker ambition and her darker reasoning. As far as the latter two were concerned, her uncle had abdicated his worthiness of being an active Divine, due to his primordial, celestial, and human messes. She understood that the omniverse that was Creation itself needed an active hand, that it needed an active Divine. However, her mother, the Darkness, had explicitly expressed no interest whatsoever in becoming an active Divine herself. Thus, she came to the nigh-supreme understanding that, if anyone were to become the active Divine, it would be she alone. She alone had the willpower and the capability, both innate and augmented, to match what had been done to renew Creation. She merely extended her thinking towards the notion of exceeding her predecessor by performing the renewal more perfectly, in accordance with her own blueprints, and not God's.

This was a burden that Sefira felt she had to accept. The highly venerative honour that accompanied this burden was one she felt she had earned, even before proceeding to put her innovative stamp on the entirety of Creation. That she did put such stamp merely reinforced her zealous belief in her own claim. After all, not even Anna, for all her ambition, could match that stamp. Consequently, the dark sovereign had to subdue all created beings who were uncomfortable with acknowledging her active divinity and with being submissive to her guiding hand, beginning with the Commonwealth of Heaven.

The Lesser Darkness resolved not to suffer any rival claim, not even that of the Electric One, to the real leadership required over any substantive portion of Creation itself.

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_Author's Note; Many words in this chapter were meant to evoke the most arrogant yet aborted ambitions of Castiel, Raphael, Metatron, Lucifer (in Seasons 11 and 13), and the Michael of the Apocalypse World, as well as a producer-aborted aim on the part of Amara. _


	10. Conspiratorial Presence

**Conspiratorial Presence**

After her dark resolution, Sefira merely noted Anna opine at great length about various discredited candidates for the heavenly leadership, and also about other leading figures in the Commonwealth of Heaven. The Lesser Darkness then ensured that Radueriel would encourage the ambitious Electric One to get to the point.

"And with my being too new to modern Creation, that leaves you as the only suitable candidate?" the Primeval Angel asked keenly for confirmation, to which the lesser angel nodded boldly.

"Indeed," confirmed the latter, "but I don't want to taint irreparably my own goodwill! I want to thwart the republican search efforts and, more importantly, to find the Alpha Phoenix. Infusing myself with tens of millions of monster souls from that one critical source will put me in a position to run the show upstairs while the meaningful big players continue to avoid the place. That is why I've dispatched the original Nephilim, now freed, to search for me."

At this point, the dark sovereign gave no care whatsoever about there existing a rival but smaller angelic realm, the Republic of Heaven. She also gave no care whatsoever about its parochial plans, however celestial they were in scope. It would be made to fall in line with her rule, once the larger angelic realm was dealt with. For now, she would simply allow the ambitious angel's schemes to be realized faster.

"Very well," acknowledged the powerful being of blinding white light, "I will support you. As of now, the hybrids' search is no longer needed."

The radiance of deception then demonstrated her new alignment by making motions with her arms. With these motions, the Alpha Phoenix and its Nephilim seekers were all apported before the conspiratorial presence.

All the while, the Lesser Darkness was unfazed by the great number of arrivals. They too would be subdued in due course. Perhaps they would be greatly intimidated upon seeing the subjugation of the Commonwealth of Heaven, that they would come under her dominion willingly, treat her without hesitation as both Deity Supreme and High Sovereign, and fear her with both exceeding awe and exceeding dread.

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_Author's Note: The last sentence of the chapter was inspired by the willful subordination of the Haradrim to Sauron's rule in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien._


	11. Immaterial Interest

**Immaterial Interest**

Although the Alpha Phoenix and its Nephilim seekers had all been summoned, Sefira heard Anna issue another command. The Lesser Darkness was well aware that many angels of the smaller Republic of Heaven had fanned out to find another alpha monster, this time the Alpha Dragon, for an equally petty scheme.

"Now that the Alpha Phoenix has been retrieved," began the Electric One, "it's time to turn our attention towards the Alpha Dragon. It's time…"

It was time for Radueriel to make an offer.

"Commander, there's no need to dispatch them for this errand," the Primeval Angel spoke out, "I can retrieve the Alpha Dragon for you."

Pleased with this proposal, the former human female returned her attention to the Nephilim before them, and set them loose to frustrate the republican search efforts without inflicting injury. She then made a counterproposal for the powerful being of white light.

"There's no need to retrieve the Alpha Dragon," she declared, "Just do protective spells to keep the republican efforts off balance."

The radiance of deception accepted the counterproposal and cast her protective spells. At the same time, she overheard her colleague terrify the Alpha Phoenix with her own words. The very process of soul harvesting, with regards to tens of millions of phoenix souls, was a formidable one. Nonetheless, the monster acquiesced to the responsibility at hand, preferring it to a future of remaining on the run from her late progenitor's non-phoenix descendants.

Next, the co-conspirator created a pocket universe of her own volition. The clandestine work for the ambitious angel needed to be done there, and only that place could offer a permanent hiding place for the co-opted monster.

The eventual departure of the Alpha Phoenix, to the pocket universe, afforded the power-hungrier one to focus all her attention on the thoughts of the remaining Anna. Deep within was reservation about having Radueriel establish the leadership claim there and then. Instead, full empowerment by the required phoenix souls would be the authentic stake to this claim.

The Electric One's intention to force a tablet exchange with either of two Holy Living Ones, Israfil or Metatron, was of immaterial interest to the dark mind-reader. Seizing another's sets of tablet computers and spares that each contained the Word of God, while conceding one's own inferior sets, was of no consequence to the Lesser Darkness.


	12. Outright Fearful

**Outright Fearful**

It came to the attention of Sefira that Anna desired to have a permanent Naphil offspring of her own. The Lesser Darkness discerned that, before the fortunate appearance of Radueriel, the Electric One before her had aimed to conceive a progeny one-and-a-half times more powerful, to reinforce her leadership to come.

Inwardly, the Dark Herald chuckled at the former human female's original, human choice for a mate. Apparently, none other her dark creator, the Darkness, would intervene and obliterate this angelic speck instantaneously, were the latter to make a serious attempt at realizing this unusual fantasy.

The mental chuckle dissipated, however, when the dark mind-reader sensed significantly more threatening alternatives. The ambitious angel thought of intimate union with none other than the Primeval Angel herself, due to angels lacking sexual orientation, then moved on to other candidates after realizing the unpredictability of conceiving someone greater than the powerful being of blinding white light.

Sefira became outright fearful when Anna assessed the worthiness of none other than the Archangel Michael himself. The Electric One thought about becoming stripped of her angelic grace for as long as a fling, so that the intense union would not be seen as incestuous by others. In the past, the one-time heavenly ruler had incinerated the angelic fantasizer. The realization of this venereal reverie would be nothing less than the making of amends.

Before focusing critically on the hypothetical Arch-Naphil, the dark thinker became alarmed at the idea of being near her eldest primordial cousin. In order for her manipulation and deception of the highest degree to go forward as planned, she needed the radiance of deception close by. On the other hand, the ambitious angel entertained the idea of having that co-conspirator around as a source of power negation, while she herself would summon the guilty archangelic party.

However less powerful, even significantly, Michael was in comparison, she who arose in might knew that this archangelic being could render asunder all the trappings of deception that had been put forward, by his own sight or by his own speech. The first narrative falsehood was one such trapping.

The Lesser Darkness resolved to keep her eldest primordial cousin, his intelligent creations who were the four Wheels, and his other primordial siblings, all from coming anywhere near the unfolding of her schemes.


	13. Imagined Arch-Naphil

**Imagined Arch-Naphil**

Next did Sefira contemplate Anna's eventual conclusion that the Archangel Michael was the better mate, for he would satisfy her long-standing grudge against and newfound attraction towards him, and also sire a permanent hybrid offspring with her knowingly and willingly. The moment had come for the Lesser Darkness to focus on the realization of this possibility, even if she herself were to become unavailable, so as to maintain the trappings of deception.

Such Arch-Naphil begotten by the eldest archangelic being and the Electric One would surpass Mashhit definitively and approach Apollyon in innate power. The instantaneous obliteration of any being of archangelic power except those two Dark Arch-Naphil, the hasty exorcism of any archangel per se, the instantaneous obliteration of any spiritual realm except the Bottomless Pit, the removal of Holy Fire, the creation in normal time and ex nihilo of non-primordial celestial beings, and the instantaneous conversion of souls into such higher beings, would all be regular capabilities.

Concerning the last two, the unsettled one focused on the ambitious angel's further reflection. There was potential for expanding the higher ranks of the Commonwealth of Heaven greatly, without augmentation. The Seraphim numbered only in the hundreds, while the Brilliant Ones numbered in the thousands. The expansion of their ranks would only mean that the dark forces of non-primordial celestial soldiers would have to be markedly greater in number.

More troubling was the potential for additional permanent ranks above the Seraphim. Between them and those immediately above them, the Fiery Ones, not even a single intermediate rank was established. There were only Seraphim and Fiery Ones, and each of the latter possessed cosmically greater base power than each of the former. There were no angels existing between these two groups. Sefira noted that her angelic opposition had discussed this very point and a stopgap measure as part of their resistance efforts.

Despite these regular capabilities, without additional power, this potentially troublesome scion could be obliterated instantaneously by just the destructive power within a single Instrument of the Darkness. This did not dissuade the Lesser Darkness from her focus on the imagined Arch-Naphil.


	14. Object Of Dark Focus

**Object Of Dark Focus**

The possibilities of additional power for Sefira's object of dark focus, Anna's desired permanent hybrid offspring, were next for consideration.

The Lesser Darkness knew that these possibilities would depend on the extent of both parents' fears. For instance, she had empowered Apollyon with tens of millions of Lilin souls recently, yet this was mere entrustment that could be revoked, on a whim and at any time. Moreover, she had refrained from augmenting any further the power of the strongest of the Dark Arch-Nephilim; the lesser being bore runes and accompanying spellwork for severe restraint, things which could be overcome by further augmentations of power.

With a more willing Michael and especially a more willing Anna, this new progeny could be boosted by tens of millions of monster souls, so as to match the innate power of the late Death. The instantaneous obliteration of an Apollyon without enhancements, and also advanced healing in normal time of any archangelic hybrid or archangelic being per se, would be just two of the realizable capabilities. Any dark negation of soul-based additional power would have to be active, not just passive. Nevertheless, this offspring could still be made to bear runes and accompanying spellwork for severe restraint.

The dark thinker was not content with what she had surmised concerning Anna's desired permanent hybrid offspring. Considering all the sources of her own augmented power, she knew all too well that a hypothetical Arch-Naphil, with her eldest primordial cousin as the chosen father, was capable of bearing powerful enhancements in addition to tens of millions of monster souls. At this point, runes and accompanying spellwork for severe restraint would be utterly useless against this being.

The more limited of additional enhancements presented themselves as a plethora of Weapons of Heaven. An adequate number of them would provide additional power, but only of a purely destructive nature.

Having considered all these matters, the Lesser Darkness was ready to turn to the more dangerous of additional enhancements, as the imagined Arch-Naphil remained her object of dark focus.


	15. Killer Instinct

**Killer Instinct**

From Sefira's perspective, the more dangerous of additional enhancements for Anna's desired permanent hybrid offspring took the form of either the Naphil Tablet or a tablet computer and spares containing the entire Word of God.

This did the Lesser Darkness know: in no uncertain terms would the progeny become more powerful than all four archangelic beings of primordial tzohar, or radiance. Unrestricted interdimensional transportation was one of the realizable capabilities at this tablet-augmented level. Entry to, unobstructed traversal throughout, and easy exit from, the Bottomless Pit itself would enable this scion to cause trouble to come from that realm's most powerful inhabitants. Even without aligning themselves with the larger celestial resistance, the supermassive Leviathan gestalts were quite capable of devastating much of what she created, in retaliation for her callous exploitation of them.

The use in normal time of primordial beings to bring into being primordial entities or substances, from other primordial substances, would continue to be exclusive to the innate power of the most powerful created being in existence, at least where neither the Darkness nor God were concerned. The ability to absorb and reflect the renewable power generated by mass prayer and veneration would continue to be exclusive to her, and even then to her physical vessel only. The ex nihilo power to recreate that vessel or create beings similar to it would continue to be exclusive to her.

Regardless of these abilities, the imagined Arch-Naphil would not be precluded, at the tablet-augmented level, from converting souls into beings equivalent to the vessel, even with ease. By themselves, these new beings could become most troublesome. Alternatively, while such creations could not be worn by their hybrid creator, they could be possessed by the Archangel Michael himself, thereby boosting his considerable primordial power.

The unsettled one became unnerved by all the primordial-level challenges posed by the hypothetical being. Were this to be born, then there would be only one way to neutralize these challenges.

Swiftly would the Lesser Darkness have to close the distance with the scion and satiate her killer instinct.

* * *

_Author's Note: That no fondness comes from this corner for Chuck's "evil Demiurge" twist of character, taken straight from Gnosticism, is an understatement about the official Season 14 finale "Moriah." That the writers came up with this at the very last minute makes this worse. However, to say that this entire fanfic series is free from Gnostic twists would be inaccurate, as the character of Sefira, the Lesser Darkness, incorporates the darker aspects of both the Demiurge and Sophia._

_The fear and killer instinct here are a twist on Chuck's fear and killer instinct towards his grandson, while the imagined Arch-Naphil's supposed ability to convert souls into beings equivalent to Sefira's physical vessel is a twist on Jack's conversion of souls into regular angels in the official Season 14 episode "Jack In The Box," the episode immediately prior._


	16. All Their Angelic Ranks

**All Their Angelic Ranks**

The next moment, Sefira snapped out of contemplating her killer instinct towards the imagined Arch-Naphil, for she saw Anna bring up at last the subject of the Commonwealth of Heaven to Radueriel. The Lesser Darkness turned her full attention towards the Electric One, who restored local time to normal.

"It's time for you to set foot in your new home," the latter suggested to the Primeval Angel.

Listening to these words, the deceptive one anticipated the moment she would appear in the very midst of her celestial opposition, in all their numbers and in all their power. Her designs for bringing them to heel were to unfold further, just as planned.

"Remember, though, to speak nothing of the work of the original Nephilim, or of the work of the Alpha Dragon, or of our agreement that the folks upstairs need my leadership," continued the ambitious angel.

For her part, the power-hungrier one committed to speak nothing of much more than mere angelic conspiracies.

"Also, give only a short intro to yourself until the grand council convenes," concluded the lesser being, to which the powerful being of blinding white light nodded.

Afterwards, those present departed where they were. They headed straight for the Commonwealth of Heaven.

Upon arrival, the dark presence herself established her vision in many directions. For the first time did she note firsthand the thousand thousands and ten thousand ten thousands who operated within the realm, in all their angelic ranks: four Holy Living Ones, four Valiant Ones, four Electric Ones, seventy or so Fiery Ones, hundreds of Seraphim with wings restored, many thousands of Brilliant Ones, millions of regular Angels with wings restored, millions of Upper Ones, millions of Strong Ones, millions of Children of the Strong Ones, millions more Cherubim of a few classes, and still millions more of Supernal Men.

These numbers prevailed despite the unprovoked celestial assault that had launched against them. These numbers would, judged the dark observer, make an excellent addition to the dark subjects serving elsewhere. Once this expanded Host of Heaven was subjugated before her rule, the only truly higher angels remaining would be the four non-aligned Archangels and the four non-aligned Wheels.

These were the numbers which the Lesser Darkness did finally behold firsthand.


	17. Not Most Gladly Received

**Not Most Gladly Received**

All the while, Sefira saw to it that Radueriel exuded nothing but the friendliest of vibes, as implied by Anna. The Lesser Darkness saw as incoming all the other angelic ringleaders of her celestial opposition.

"Folks, this is Radueriel," the Electric One introduced the Primeval Angel, "We really should discuss her detailed background more fully in council, not here."

Not long after, the time for the conference of the angelic ringleaders came. In session was the grand council of the Commonwealth of Heaven. Those who belonged to this body numbered seven dozen. Among these seven dozen were the freshmen Fiery Ones Zagzagel, Yefefiah, Yahoel, Uziel, Sahaquiel, Sabriel, Rikbiel, Pravuel, Oriphiel, Marmoniel, Cecitiel, Akatriel-Yah, Zachariah, Selaphiel, Kepharel, and Hannah. Also among the seven dozen were the senior Fiery Ones Sariel, Jerahmeel, Hofniel, and Barachiel. Grouped with them were the Electric Ones Anna, Tzadkiel, Raziel, and Camael. Also grouped with them were the Valiant Ones Castiel, Jehudiel, Raguel, and Zaphkiel. Last, but not least, gathered amongst them were the Holy Living Ones Israfil, Sandalphon, Phanuel, and Metatron.

The last of these, the first Holy Living One, focused his full attention on the celestial guest who occupied the very center of the chamber.

"Now that we're in a confidential meeting, would you care to introduce yourself more fully?" he enjoined her.

"I am Radueriel the Primeval Angel," commenced the powerful being of blinding white light. She went on to share the same primeval account that had been shared with the ambitious angel.

All the while, the deceptive one in the presence of them all read their thoughts. She discerned that the narration was not most gladly received by the eldest angels present in the chamber. They had never been educated by their Creator about the existence of any created being of primordial radiance who was more powerful than the Archangel Michael himself. She also discerned that the scribe desired ever to learn why the radiance of deception had not been freed along with Sarathiel, Sidriel, Zephaniel, and Zophiel, the four Wheels who were now somewhere out there enjoying Creation together as sisters.

The Lesser Darkness had to give these skeptics credit where credit was due, yet persisted with the aim of deceiving them, as well.


	18. Unfortunate Skepticism

**Unfortunate Skepticism**

Sefira anticipated the additional expressions of skepticism to come. Having discerned Metatron's line of questioning, the Lesser Darkness sought to have Radueriel dissuade the first Holy Living One from taking his skepticism to a most unfortunate level.

"Thanks for recounting prehistoric events," spoke the diligent celestial being.

"But the four Ophanim, or Wheels, are out there having fun, yet you remained in the penalty box, so to speak; you weren't released," the formerly power-hungry angel wondered, "Am I missing something?"

The power-hungrier one resorted to the fabrication that had been prepared for this very line of questioning towards the Primeval Angel.

The latter took a deep breath, then responded.

"Not at all," she answered, "I forgot to mention my rashness in my dealings with the two Leviathans."

Understandable surprise was felt by some in the chamber, in reaction to these words.

"Not long after my creation, but well before the final confrontation, I thought I could handle those two on my own," the celestial guest shared with regret, "To my displeasure, I learned experientially that I was wrong. I returned, and was rebuked sharply for my actions."

"Perhaps my remaining in that place of imprisonment, after the Wheels were set free, was continued punishment?" she suggested a possibility.

Meanwhile, though the dark presence resolved to keep these four, their three uncles, and their own archangelic creator away from her schemes, she discerned that the scribe remained unconvinced, feeling that there was something problematic with what he had listened to. If anything, this non-primordial resolved to ask none other than God himself, the one whom she desired to replace as the active Divine for all Creation.

She who arose in might chafed at what she had learned. Metatron was apparently on sufficiently good terms with the truly divine so as to be privileged with editorial visits to the Bar, the new home of her mother and her uncle, whenever the latter wished. Surely, even she, the most powerful created being in existence, the second-most powerful being, and the third-most powerful entity, could not prevent either of the only two who exceeded her in power, the Darkness and God, from exposing with divine ease all the trappings of deception that had been put forward.

For all her power, even the Lesser Darkness could not obliterate the first Holy Living One without raising mass suspicion from her angelic opposition.


	19. Safeguarding The Mission

**Safeguarding The Mission**

Sefira was faced with Metatron's decision to verify the details given by Radueriel in the Bar itself, the new home of her mother and her uncle. After ruling out the option of obliterating the first Holy Living One, the Lesser Darkness considered her options for safeguarding the mission of the Primeval Angel.

The most obvious course of action was to trap the persistent one somewhere, indefinitely. Because her mother, the Darkness, had destroyed Lucifer's cage, that otherwise excellent contraption could no longer be considered.

The Darkest Domain was the next place under consideration. The scribe would be deprived of his tablet enhancement and kept under lock and key. This was not ideal, however. Even without this augmentation, he would remain too powerful for multiple squads of her celestial foot soldiers to deal with, even within the skyscraping Dark Gateway of Divinity. He would remain powerful enough to require at least one of her most powerful subjects to guard him personally, and each of the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim was too important in the grand scheme of things to be dispatched for mere sentry duty. Furthermore, were he to escape, he would surely be able to relay the location of this abode to his angelic brethren, who would surely attack in retaliation.

The Bottomless Pit presented itself as the perfect place to seal the skeptical one away. He himself would have to keep his distance permanently from supermassive Leviathan gestalts who were imprisoned there, primordial combiners who had an ancient score to settle with angelic beings. He would, therefore, become too distracted to find a fluke means of escaping. There would be no need to dispatch anyone for mere sentry duty in this scenario. Equally important, the Commonwealth of Heaven would be in no position to open an interdimensional rift and stage a rescue operation.

The challenge would be to trap Metatron without the knowledge of his colleagues, and in situations other than his venturing off to satiate his most primeval skepticism. Trapping him otherwise would most certainly cause those same colleagues to be suspicious, and could cause them to call upon the radiance of deception in their midst to open a most unwanted rift and free him from the abysmal realm.

Nonetheless, the Lesser Darkness settled upon sealing the first Holy Living One in the Bottomless Pit at the very first real opportunity.


	20. Ears That Would Heed

**Ears That Would Heed**

That Metatron decided in the meantime to find and meet the four non-aligned Wheels at the earliest convenience did not come as a surprise to Sefira, she who had settled upon preemptive action of her own to safeguard the mission of Radueriel.

Anna broke the celestial contemplations with choice words for the first Holy Living One.

"Before you ask another prehistoric question," came these words suggesting annoyance, "I should let it be known for the record that I have brought my companion here up to speed on the threat before us. It is imperative that we labour together and have much profit in our resistance efforts, not waste time on prehistoric inquiry!"

That threat, none other than the Lesser Darkness, could not have agreed more. The sooner she imposed her adequate runes and spellwork of severe restraint upon all her lesser opposition, crafted upon their very vessels, the more secure the recognition of her active divinity would be, and the sooner the opponents themselves would become serene in their acquiescence and subordination to her absolutism.

Next came a sight for the deceptive one in the presence of them all to behold. A number of council members hearkened to the Electric One and agreed with her expressly, before the scribe could voice his additional objections regarding the Primeval Angel. At last, there had been found some ears that would heed her and some tongues that would enlarge what had been heard.

For her part, the powerful being of blinding white light appeared simply to be grateful in the meekest sense and was content to let her champion advocate further on her behalf.

"I know you have your doubts," the former human female acknowledged, "but the quick-learning Radueriel has already aided us in ensuring that Uriel and his intelligence assets don't find the Alpha Dragon! She has cast protective spells towards that effort."

The meek one nodded slightly at that advocacy. Meanwhile, Castiel was quick to notice.

"What more can you do in the grand scheme of things?" the final Valiant One inquired of Radueriel.

All the while, the Lesser Darkness prepared for what would be offered in goodwill by the Primeval Angel.

* * *

_Author's Note: The title of this chapter is inspired by the unrepentant deceit of Melkor in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien._


	21. Arch-Lady Of Benefactions

**Arch-Lady Of Benefactions**

Celestial contributions had just been asked of by Castiel, and Sefira was more than willing for Radueriel to oblige.

Already, however, the Lesser Darkness entertained twisting at least one of the contributions. She remembered all too well that monster souls, specifically souls of Eve-lets, were being produced to augment equitably the absent Archangels and the equally absent Wheels, as well as those of the grand council of the Commonwealth of Heaven and the leadership figures of the independent Republic of Heaven. She also remembered that these souls were being produced to provide meaningful augmentation to the Seraphim, to those who would become Brilliant Ones of the first class, to those who would become Brilliant Ones of the second class, and to all their republican counterparts. Were she to substitute the monster souls with similar yet dark souls of her own, instead, she would have an additional means of diminishing their hosts' augmented power on her command. After committing to this, she finished her preparations for all of what the Primeval Angel would demonstrate, as a sort of arch-lady of benefactions.

"Well, I was told that this place has recently lost a great many Supernal Men, Cherubim, Children of the Strong Ones, and Strong Ones," relayed the questioned one.

For the dark presence herself, that a celestial host of her Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments committed war crimes against the defenders, inflicting highly injurious blows that were not fatal before delivering killing blows without mercy, was meant to inform the survivors of the pointlessness of their cosmic resistance efforts.

"I would like to render my assistance towards the recovery efforts, before the next attack comes. I can resurrect them all quickly, I can make angels in normal time, and I can do meaningfully more," proposed the powerful being of blinding white light.

Through the black speech of her dark representative, the Dark Arch-Naphil Mashhit, she who arose in might had reminded the angelic audience all too well of their inability to perform any of these wonders. In contrast, she was more than capable of doing each and every single one of these things.

Inwardly, the Lesser Darkness looked forward to the spectacle to come and to relishing the imitation of her uncle's own mass resurrection of these dupes.


	22. False Assurance Offered

**False Assurance Offered**

From out of almost nowhere, however, did one Zachariah seize the moment.

"Isn't this next part the one where you say we should follow you in exchange?" the Fiery One made a quip concerning a possible ulterior motive beneath the otherwise incredible acts of generosity.

In her thoughts did Sefira react by giving this lively angel credit where credit was due.

First, the Lesser Darkness was indeed determined to be elevated above skies and beyond, as the ascendant to the Divine Throne. She was indeed determined to be enthroned higher than all the angels of her uncle. She was indeed determined to be seated as paramount leader beyond the Mount of Celestial Assembly, beyond the heavenly summit. She was indeed determined to be mounted atop the back of clouds, nebulae, and much more, as plenipotentiary rider of the Divine Chariot. She was indeed determined to be the Most High by anointed right from the Divine Presence. After all, from her point of view, there was a vacancy where being an active Divine was concerned.

Second, the dark seal of perfection recalled the heavenly denizens having been won over to a demonstrably false claim of the Archangel Lucifer. This was the claim that he could have locked away her very mother, the Darkness, during the latter's quest for divine vengeance.

Third, and in the immediate future, these same gullible denizens would be won over to the manufacture of the very runes and spellwork of severe restraint that would become their own chains everlasting.

For now, however, the power-hungrier one would have Radueriel offer false assurance with grains of truth.

"Not at all," answered the Primeval Angel, "I was a team player when I worked with the four Wheels, and I can easily be a team player here and now."

No false claim was thus asserted that the latter was capable of defeating the former in any way, shape or form.

Not long after, heavenly approval had been given to the proposal. The majority of council members fell for the deception, and the Lesser Darkness herself became pleased with things going as she had planned.

* * *

_Author's Note: The mention of Chuck's supposed vacancy was meant to evoke the thwarted ambition of the demon Belphegor._


	23. Lilin Deceit

**Lilin Deceit**

Having won heavenly approval, Sefira saw to Radueriel's demonstration of the stated power, merely noting Metatron's concern that various beings of archangelic potency were incapable of this wonder.

For their part, the celestial audience could only see the Primeval Angel conjure the lifeless forms of all recently deceased angels to a great expanse within their realm. She then conducted the appropriate primordial-level spell, as only a being of mid-tier nigh-omnipotence or higher could.

After the mass angelic resurrection, the Lesser Darkness saw to the creation of Lilin souls, souls of the very species she had deemed to be fitting supernatural helpers for her intelligent creations living on the physical plane. With a single spell, she had the powerful being of blinding white light surpass the endeavours of one Balthazar in terms of creative work, while also ensuring that her soul creations appeared to be mere monster souls within ordinary angelic perception.

It did not escape the attention of the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine, however, that a few amongst her angelic targets had become unnerved towards the creative display of the radiance of deception before them. Although the likes of Metatron, the Holy Living One Israfil, and the Electric One Raziel, had all deemed the new souls designed intelligently before them to be monster souls, even they discerned that these were not the same as the souls of Eve-lets.

The most powerful created being in existence felt fortunate that her four primordial cousins were bonding far away from the Commonwealth of Heaven. The nearby presence of these archangelic beings of primordial tzohar, or radiance, would enable them to expose the very nature of the supernatural souls that had been created, among worse things. As for all the non-primordial beings surrounding her, regardless of the extent of their augmented power, none of them were capable of laying bare the falsehood before them.

When this Lilin deceit performed by Radueriel had run its course, the Lesser Darkness ensured that even a certain one-time hedonist preferred what had been created by the Primeval Angel, over and above his own work.


	24. Elite Weapons

**Elite Weapons**

The dark attention of Sefira shifted to heavenly work towards another front, for powerful celestial weapons were either made in full or were in the process of being made.

Non-blade Weapons of Heaven, apart from angel blades, were being produced and stockpiled, with one Virgil leading this effort. Not only were they being produced and stockpiled in the Commonwealth of Heaven, but also in localized pocket dimensions or pocket universes. The Lesser Darkness was more than willing for Radueriel to speed up the process.

Thus did the Primeval Angel focus upon the existing production and perform the appropriate spell to accelerate it. In exceeding the efforts of the one-time keeper of the heavenly weapons, she achieved the quick creation of sufficient numbers of these non-primordial weapons, wherever there had been work in process. Her celestial colleagues were further astonished, despite the proposal that had been offered earlier.

All the while, the dark seal of perfection confirmed the location of eight markedly superior weapons, weapons which were primordial in nature. These primordial implements were inspired by the spears of the Archangels Michael and Lucifer, for they were proven to be effective against her mother, the Darkness herself, once weakened. They were also inspired by archangel blades, for they enabled primordial wielders to deliver an instant kill upon Archangel-level beings and to inflict meaningful damage upon more powerful primordial entities.

She who arose in might had committed to dark memory a dastardly suggestion by one of the angelic beings before her. It was suggested that they all stab her simultaneously with these elite weapons, in a star tetrahedral manner. The combat art form was likened to the stabbing sequence of fictional Daggers of Megiddo, for by this point it was the heavenly consensus that she was the supreme adversary of all free angels. Nonetheless, the choreography was rejected, for it was thought that she could be rendered vulnerable to any stabbing sequence.

Having discerned and noted grave folly in the angelic reasoning, the Lesser Darkness saw no need for either obliterating the eight primordial weapons or apporting them away from their heavenly location.


	25. There Stood Millions

**There Stood Millions**

Sefira had made immense strides towards bringing the Commonwealth of Heaven to heel. As Radueriel prepared to behold the fruits of her labour, the Lesser Darkness focused on the ranks of her human-friendly angelic opposition once again, now augmented as either planned or allowed.

There stood many millions of Supernal Men. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was two-and-a-half times stronger on a permanent basis, even modestly stronger than a non-augmented angel of two ranks above.

There stood many millions of Cherubim of a few classes. Whether serving as direct buffers for seats of higher authority, as more distant sentries, as agents for pairing important bloodlines, or as drawers of heavenly chariots besides the Divine Chariot, each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was two-and-a-half times stronger on a permanent basis, even modestly stronger than a non-augmented angel of two ranks above.

There stood millions of Children of the Strong Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was two-and-a-half times stronger on a permanent basis, even modestly stronger than a non-augmented angel of two ranks above.

There stood millions of Strong Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was two-and-a-half times stronger on a permanent basis, even modestly stronger than a regular Angel without augmentations.

There stood millions of Upper Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was capable of tapping into the base power of a regular Angel's rank, subject to remaining aligned with one's heavenly abode. Each was four times stronger, even modestly stronger than a Seraph without augmentations.

There stood millions of regular Angels. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was capable of tapping into the base power of the rank immediately above, subject to remaining aligned with one's heavenly abode. Each was four times stronger, even markedly stronger than a Seraph without augmentations. For instance, each could emit holy white light for individual attacks.

The Lesser Darkness prepared her focus to fall upon higher angelic opposition.


	26. Higher Angelic Opposition

**Higher Angelic Opposition**

Higher angelic opposition now constituted the focus for Sefira. The Lesser Darkness and her opposition shared the opinion that Radueriel had been quite an arch-lady of benefactions, given the feats exhibited.

There stood thousands of Brilliant Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was capable of tapping into the base power of a Seraph's rank, subject to remaining aligned with one's heavenly abode. Each was four or more times stronger, even significantly stronger than a Seraph without augmentations. For instance, each was resilient in combat against a white-eyed or yellow-eyed demon, and each could perform vessel locking and remove Holy Fire when not surrounded.

The dark observer noted the astonishment of Metatron himself, for even his personal preferences concerning the Brilliant Ones had been taken into account. Over two thousand of them were of a superior class, and were each empowered by a double-edged sword of two hundred fifty Lilin souls. Over three hundred more were of an even higher class, and were each empowered by a double-edged sword of a little over thirty-five hundred Lilin souls.

There stood over three hundred Seraphim. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was capable of tapping into the base power of the rank immediately above, subject to remaining aligned with one's heavenly abode. Also, each was empowered by a double-edged sword of fifty thousand Lilin souls. As a result, each could overpower and smite, with ease, a white-eyed or yellow-eyed demon.

There stood the seventy or so Fiery Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's own progeny. Each was empowered by a double-edged sword of fifty thousand Lilin souls. Still, each belonged to one of three classes. Of those Fiery Ones of the two lower classes, each was capable of tapping into the base power of the rank immediately above, even without having to stay with one's heavenly abode, due to possessing a Tablet of the Guardians. Of those twenty Fiery Ones of the two higher classes, each was in possession of enough non-primordial Weapons of Heaven to kill the Archangel Gabriel. Of those eight Fiery Ones of the highest class, each was in possession of a set of three Angel Tablets, a main one and two spares.

Still, the Lesser Darkness prepared to shift her focus towards the most powerful ranks.


	27. Such Were The Ranks

**Such Were The Ranks**

The most powerful ranks of the human-friendly angelic opposition, whether reachable or absent, had come into focus for Sefira. In the judgment of the Lesser Darkness, the impact of Radueriel's work was most potent at these levels.

There stood the four human-friendly Electric Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's progeny. Each was empowered by a double-edged sword of fifty thousand Lilin souls. Each was in possession of enough non-primordial Weapons of Heaven to kill the Archangel Raphael. Each was in possession of a set of three Angel Tablets, a main one and two spares.

There stood the four reachable Valiant Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's progeny. Each was empowered by a double-edged sword of fifty thousand Lilin souls. Each was in possession of enough non-primordial Weapons of Heaven to kill the Archangel Raphael. Each was in possession of a tablet computer and spares containing the entire Word of God.

There existed the four absent Wheels. Each was intended to be augmented by a double-edged sword of fifty thousand Lilin souls. Each was intended to come into possession of enough non-primordial Weapons of Heaven to kill the Archangel Raphael. Each was intended to come into possession of a tablet computer and spares containing the entire Word of God.

There stood the four reachable Holy Living Ones. Each was augmented by the Naphil grace of one's progeny. Each was empowered by a double-edged sword of fifty thousand Lilin souls. Each was in possession of enough non-primordial Weapons of Heaven to kill the Archangel Raphael. Each was in possession of a tablet computer and spares containing the entire Word of God.

Most important of all, there existed the four absent Archangels. Each was intended to be empowered by at least fifty thousand actual monster souls, souls of Eve-lets. Each was intended to come into possession of enough non-primordial Weapons of Heaven to match an Angel Tablet. Each was intended to come into possession of a tablet computer and spares containing the entire Word of God.

Such were the ranks of this opposition to the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

_Author's Note: Recapped below is the full power ranking of all human-friendly angels as of the end of this chapter, including the angelic hierarchy of the Commonwealth of Heaven:_

_The four non-aligned Archangels – Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel;_

_The four Holy Living Ones (Chayot Ha Kodesh) – a resurrected Metatron, Phanuel, Sandalphon, and Israfil;_

_The four non-aligned Wheels (Ophanim) – Sarathiel, Sidriel, Zephaniel, and Zophiel;_

_The four Valiant Ones (Erelim) – Zaphkiel, Raguel, Jehudiel, and the one and only Castiel;_

_The four Electric Ones (Hashmallim) – Camael, Raziel, Tzadkiel, and the one and only Anna;_

_The seventy or so Fiery Ones (Shinanim) – Barachiel, Hofniel, Jerahmeel, and Sariel, plus the one and only Hannah, Kepharel, Selaphiel, and the one and only Zachariah, plus Akatriel-Yah, Cecitiel, Marmoniel, Oriphiel, Pravuel, Rikbiel, Sabriel, Sahaquiel, Uziel, Yahoel, Yefefiah, Zagzagel, and the rest;_

_The hundreds-numbered Seraphim – Seraphiel, Sippur, and the rest;_

_The thousands-numbered Brilliant Ones (Tarshishim);_

_The millions-numbered regular Angels;_

_The millions-numbered Upper Ones (Elyonim);_

_The millions-numbered Strong Ones (Elim);_

_The millions-numbered Children of the Strong Ones (Bene Elim);_

_The millions-numbered Cherubim organized into a few classes; and_

_The millions-numbered Supernal Men (Ishim)._


	28. Realization Of Primordial Proportions

**Realization Of Primordial Proportions**

At last did a realization of primordial proportions set in for Sefira: the previous combat visions, simulations, and mental spectacles of being able to toy fully with all of Creation were no longer applicable. Part of this new reality for the Lesser Darkness was due to controllable benefactions on the part of Radueriel. Another part was due to spontaneous ideas here and there from her mother, the Darkness. Yet another part was due to antagonistic interventions on the part of her uncle, God.

The opposed one resorted to the self-assurance of going for the jugular.

_In her mind, the object of celestial resistance grouped the Archangels, Holy Living Ones, Wheels, Valiant Ones, and Electric Ones, all fully augmented, into riding together the Merkabah. This contraption, the Divine Chariot itself, was a star tetrahedron, two triangular pyramids put together to form the simplest regular polyhedral compound, with eight obvious corners and twelve other ones. Only elite angels could man this, because as long as they did so, it amalgamated all the resilience of their defensive capabilities into a single, fearsome combat unit._

_Wasting no time, the wingless being of darkness marshalled additional primordial power as befitting the most powerful created being in existence, the second-most powerful being, and the third-most powerful entity. She brought to bear five of her Instruments of the Darkness, the maximum she could utilize at any given time. Supporting these, her primary means of accessing significantly augmented primordial power, were her direct possession that was her supermassive Leviathan gestalt, her indirect possession that was her physical vessel, and even her very own innate power._

_Next, she teleported back and forth to evade attacks coming from the Divine Chariot, then made rapid gestures with the aim of obliterating it and then its riders. As she exerted the mid-tier omnipotence of her primordial Instruments, her physical vessel replenished them instantaneously and terrifyingly, by reflecting towards them whatever could not be absorbed from all the renewable power being generated constantly from mass veneration on the part of her adorers throughout the omniverse._

_The obliterations came to pass, freeing the victor to do whatever she pleased with the remaining enemies._

In this worst-case scenario, resistance from other domains across all of celestial existence was irrelevant.

The Lesser Darkness was thus on the verge of ceasing to think about her human-friendly angelic opposition without begrudging respect.


	29. Prepared And Awaited

**Prepared And Awaited**

The begrudging respect was not to be.

Recollecting the previous combat visions, simulations, and mental spectacles, Sefira surmised that confronting by herself a Merkabah manned by the Archangels and the sixteen most powerful non-primordial angels throughout Creation meant that twenty less capable Fiery Ones, no matter how augmented by the benefactions of Radueriel, would have to perform separate combat duties once meant for the Holy Living Ones, Wheels, Valiant Ones, and Electric Ones.

Based on her ability to evade attacks coming from the Divine Chariot, the Lesser Darkness concluded that she could distract its riders all on her own. Her most powerful intelligent creations under the severe restraint of her runes and spellwork – all four Dark Arch-Nephilim, all six Dark Archangels, and even both Deathly Archangels – and also her personal avatars, could all be tasked with prevailing against the rest of the Commonwealth of Heaven, including the human-friendly angelic hybrids who had been welcomed with open graces, as well as against the independent Republic of Heaven and its now-augmented leadership, the forces of Hell and their now-augmented leadership, the pantheons of self-proclaimed deities and the augmented amongst their ranks, the fairies of Avalon. They could be tasked with prevailing against even all Reapers and all four Horsemen, were they to join the celestial resistance and turn against the very second darkness who had improved their ranks.

The immediate presence of the dark sovereign's sand on the seashore, the non-primordial celestial soldiers who served under similar restraint, would be optional. The Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments, could remain where they served, mostly deep within the Darkest Domain. They could be tasked with launching a full-scale assault against the main angelic realm itself, ensuring its distraction from supporting the other groups within the celestial resistance. They could be tasked with prevailing outright against the fairies or the demons, or even against the celestial republicans as their leader fought elsewhere.

Instead of begrudging respect, the dark thinker returned her state of mind to her heavenly opposition. Their temptation towards manufacturing the very runes and spellwork of severe restraint that would become their own chains everlasting, the very moment that the Lesser Darkness had prepared and long had awaited, was near.

* * *

_Author's Note: Six words within the last sentence of this chapter were inspired by the Second Age deceit of Sauron in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien._


	30. Some Small Distraction

**Some Small Distraction**

The temptation was to be presented some time later, not in accordance with Sefira's design. The Lesser Darkness had to suffer the interruption of not just any angel, but the intelligence chief Naomi. The latter had the audacity to rush to the very midst of the grand council of the Commonwealth of Heaven, just like that.

"Councillors, while the situation with the Alpha Dragon remains under control, our intelligence agents have spotted extremely hostile movements on another front," the uninvited one alerted the audience.

"None other than the forces of the Lesser Darkness are on the move!" came the exclamation, "From the look of things, it appears they are searching for their own quarry."

The deceptive one in the presence of them all discerned three reactions: relief, disappointment, and frustration.

Relief was the reaction of Anna. The intelligence agents did not discover the survival of the hostile Nephilim, else they would have revealed their contribution to her conspiracy and rendered for naught her inconspicuous drive to become the uncontested leader of the angelic realm.

Disappointment was the reaction of the other leading angels. They preferred a new development in the efforts of the independent Republic of Heaven to find and seize the Alpha Dragon, irrespective of what Radueriel herself had done to foil them. They preferred some small distraction to the larger celestial resistance efforts.

Frustration was the reaction of the very object of that celestial resistance, for this was anything but some small distraction.

Before this personal quest of manipulation and deception of the highest degree, an entire host of celestial soldiers had indeed been dispatched to find invaluable quarry, in the form of great weapons that had been buried away from even the nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience of the perfectly spherical device that had been created to operate deep within the Darkest Domain. The Darkness and God had actually worked together to fabricate and proliferate Arks of the Pact throughout the omniverse that was Creation itself. These inconveniences were bound to showcase, through audiovisual holographic recordings of particularly scandalous moments, the point that the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine was not truly divine.

At a minimum, the Lesser Darkness could not afford to make do without the renewable power being generated constantly from mass veneration on the part of her adorers throughout the omniverse.


	31. Opportunity Taken

**Opportunity Taken**

Sefira was spurred to return her attention towards the intelligence discussion. Then, surprise was expressed by Radueriel.

The Lesser Darkness did not care about the Primeval Angel's look of surprise being noticed by some nearby.

"What is it, Radueriel?" asked Anna, who was one of those who noticed.

The power-hungrier one had been gracious enough to allow the questioned one to cast protective spells aimed at keeping off balance the republican search efforts. This time, though, no such protective spell would be used to thwart her own celestial soldiers.

"I am unable to foil them like I have those, those…" admitted the powerful being of blinding white light, in a tone of frustration.

"Republican brethren?" the Electric One completed the question for her co-conspirator.

"Your intelligence resources were at least able to find out the intentions of the rogue angels," explained the latter, "Without knowing the goals of the dark hostiles, I cannot cast the necessary spells to foil their efforts!"

Naomi spoke up, with the intention of disclosing the preliminary intelligence guesses on the quarry being sought, including Hands of God.

Meanwhile, she who arose in might took this opportunity to contemplate the Arks of the Pact once again. Once her forces relayed to her the location of even one of these showcasing instruments, she could appear before it and alter the audiovisual holographic recordings. Those moments when all her innate and augmented power had been divinely negated, by her very own mother, would be replaced.

In their place would be the formation of every supermassive galaxy she had created within every universe of Creation to contain tens of trillions of advanced planetary systems, the formation of every advanced planetary system she had created within every older galaxy created by her uncle, and the reformation of every lesser planetary system she had altered to contain up to five superhabitable planets.

In their place would be the appearance, within these worlds, of her main adorers on the physical plane, the Adonim, after she conducted their initial creation and scattered them.

In their place would be audiovisual recordings of the inaugural temple services that unfolded across the omniverse in her own honour.

Only then could the Lesser Darkness even think about altering non-primordial magic to reproduce the desired changes within every Ark of the Pact that remained hidden.


	32. Dark Thoughts Interrupted

**Dark Thoughts Interrupted**

By no means was Sefira done contemplating the Arks of the Pact once again. Though the Lesser Darkness could alter and even terminate all non-primordial magic, any attempt to directly affect anything that had been concealed divinely from her would be fruitless. Her primordial displays would simply pass over that object.

One small detail came to the attention of the dark thinker, while Radueriel was being addressed by Naomi. Though neither her mother nor her uncle blurted to her, she inferred here and now that one special power could reinforce the divine concealment, so that no showcasing instrument could be found instantly by her and apported just as quickly.

The most powerful created being in existence surmised that this power had to be the forcing of all power negation coming from an Instrument of the Darkness or a stronger Dark Arch-Naphil to be a deliberate act in order to succeed. She had been prevented divinely from evaluating this feature as had been established upon the tablet computers meant for the four absent Archangels. Acquiring an Ark of the Pact would allow her to learn this inherent counter-ability at last.

The ability to add this instrumental counter-ability as an inherent one would allow non-primordial Instruments of the Dark Herald, as worn by her non-living avatars, to operate at closer distances to her very essence. Recognized divinity was not the only reason the covetous one craved to be the plenipotentiary rider of the Divine Chariot, or at least something like it. Being in the center of a contraption such as this, surrounded by corners manned by augmented avatars, would result in having an outer defensive shell that amalgamated all the resilience of those avatars.

The ability to add this instrumental counter-ability as an inherent one would enable the dark learner to have one or more personal, non-primordial implements with this power, whether assigned to her own essence, to her direct possession that was her supermassive Leviathan gestalt, or to her indirect possession that was her physical vessel. Having three of these would constitute a second, more cautious attempt at virtual omnipotence.

The dark thoughts were interrupted by a suggestion from none other than Naomi.

"Then we should capture them and manipulate their memories for information," spoke out the intelligence chief.

The Lesser Darkness found herself caught off guard with these very words.


	33. Intelligence Breakthrough To Thwart

**Intelligence Breakthrough To Thwart**

Despite all her insights, Sefira was caught off guard by the suggestion that one or more of her celestial soldiers ought to be subject to memory manipulation of a twisted sort. Although the Lesser Darkness had acquainted herself with Naomi's background some time ago, and in so doing became aware of the latter's penchant for memory drills, she did not expect her forces to be detected so easily, in the first place, by the Commonwealth of Heaven. At the same, she discerned that others in the immediate vicinity deemed sinister the calm that accompanied the suggestion.

As for Radueriel, she expressed mere startlement upon hearing what she had heard.

"This may be the intelligence breakthrough that my team has sought regarding our adversary!" claimed the intelligence chief, "We can find out not just what they're looking for, but also where they come from exactly and how to travel there and back!"

That same adversary determined that no winged suck-up from those around her would set grace upon the darkest domain in all of celestial existence. Although she designed this Darkest Domain to inhibit levitation and teleportation by any non-primordial being while in the realm, she could not countenance the presence of these particular multidimensional wavelengths of celestial intent, except perhaps as the additional subjects they were manipulated into becoming.

None of them would disgrace the valley between the plains of entry and what would appear to their limited perception as the tallest, widest, and darkest interstellar mountain.

None of them would parade themselves upon this mountain, Sefira Mons. None of them would traverse through great wall upon great wall, battlement upon battlement, round fortified tower upon round fortified tower, and maze level upon maze level, around the margins of the mountain. None of them would cause more than mischief upon the supervolcano systems of terrifying explosive power located towards the center of the peak, whether calderas or underground magma chambers.

None of them would inflict damage upon what stood at the center of all this, the skyscraping Dark Gateway of Divinity. None of them would destroy what crowned this edifice, the perfectly spherical device of nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience.

Even as the angelic leadership agreed with this, and even as the Primeval Angel did not get past her startlement, the Lesser Darkness resolved to thwart this intelligence breakthrough.


	34. Concealed Acts

**Concealed Acts**

Without hesitation, the defensive Sefira decided to accompany Naomi and some members of the grand council, for they would depart the Commonwealth of Heaven to realize the intelligence breakthough. Radueriel did the same thing.

Using her power, the Lesser Darkness rendered the celestial illusion that a physical vessel appropriate for the Primeval Angel was being formed, before the latter being appeared to settle into the body. Then came the group departure, and subsequent arrival at the intelligence chief's external reconnaissance base.

The powerful being of blinding white light went to work and located the nearest celestial foot soldier of darkness. When the opportunity presented itself, she slowed down greatly the flow of time in the immediate area, so that no one in her midst would get any opportunity to discern what she would do next. She then slipped away. Upon reaching her target, she immobilized it and laid a hand upon its head.

It was time for the dark presence herself to go to work. Exerting her power throughout the omniverse, she programmed every single one of her non-primordial celestial soldiers to self-destruct the moment an enemy attempted to extract the location of the Darkest Domain. Turning to the one soldier, she made sure of the ease of the latter's pending capture by her angelic opposition.

After a mere moment, Radueriel terminated the contact, returned speedily to the base where her colleagues were, and restored the flow of local time upon arrival. She could only confirm to those same colleagues what they themselves had surmised concerning Hands of God that remained untouched, in each universe.

Later, intelligence agents managed to capture the same soldier. Naomi utilized a memory drill and confirmed what had already been confirmed. As soon as she and her subordinates attempted to obtain the origin of the immobilized being, the latter self-destructed instantly.

A disappointed Primeval Angel spoke out.

"Despite all her risen might, not even this Lesser Darkness of whom Anna spoke can find these inanimate things instantaneously, so as to bind them," came the rather obvious words, "A mere Primeval Angel cannot accomplish this, either."

For the mentioned one, truly divinely concealed acts concerned her mother and her uncle, the Darkness and God, indeed.

Not long after, all the disappointed angelic beings returned to the Commonwealth of Heaven, and the Lesser Darkness accompanied them.


End file.
